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The joy that Torontonians felt last night, after the Raptors beat the Pacers in Game 7, cannot be put into words. Rather, screams, cheers, and even tears, can help paint a more accurate picture of what took place in my living room, Jurassic Park, and the Air Canada Centre.

It was a great week to be a Torontonian: Drake released his highly anticipated album, Views (which was well worth the wait), the Maple Leafs won the 1st overall pick in the NHL draft lottery (I’m not a hockey fan, but this is a win), and the Jays beat the Rays.

To say that the vibe in Toronto was epic is an understatement. There’s something to be said about when a city comes together in the name of sport. My dad always told me, sport mirrors life, and I couldn’t agree more! The camaraderie and friendships that form between fans is so much fun. I can tell you, I have a little Raptors Twitter family who I engage with during games, and while we might not be at the ACC, we are certainly enjoying the game through a different perspective.

Last night it was quickly brought to my attention, via Twitter and Facebook, that the Kony 2012 video and message took over the internet in a sweeping manner. Talk about viral, this video was posted two days ago and already has close to 8 million YouTube views.

While I think that this is an extremely important human rights issue that is being brought to the forefront, this begs the question of what else is going on in our world that is not receiving the same amount of social media attention? I think that it is incredible to think about how quickly something can go viral and it becomes an instant trending topic on Twitter. I mention, in my second blog post, Get Connected, how important networking on the internet is. It is important to recognize that social media is truly a platform for change, whether people realize it or not. I think that it would be naive to deny that social networking is one of the most powerful forms of media in our generation.

Sure, watching a YouTube video and posting it on your Facebook Timeline or retweeting it to your Twitter followers is not going to directly stop Kony, or solve whatever particular cause you come across, but what is happening is that people are having the necessary conversations that lead to change. Education is the pillar to change, in my opinion. Without being educated on a particular issue, there is no room for ideas and the possibility for change. As the title of this blog reads, “nothing is more powerful than an idea.” This is the introductory line in the Kony 2012 video and I could not agree with it more. Powerful movements begin with an idea that transcends into a conversation and so on and so forth.

The beauty of social media is that ideas can be discussed all over the world and people can become passionate about ideas in a collective manner. For example, on January 18th the largest online protest in history took place when websites went on strike against the looming prospects of Internet Censorship Bills. Some of the major participants in this Black out were Google and Wikipedia.

Yes, there are going to be skeptics but I think that the most important thing to gather from all of this is that education on a cause or issue is the first step, social media is just one of several platforms that can serve to educate others. So, why not join the conversation?

I think that one of the most integral pieces that make for a good blog, or perhaps

Hopping onto the social media bandwagon.

even a good blogger, is the ability to get connected. Whether the connection is with other bloggers, popular culture, or one’s self, the ultimate goal is to connect with something. When coming up with the idea for my blog I battled with many different ideas: a teacher’s blog, a travel blog, a blog about entertainment! I decided that I would create a “mixed bag blog” in order to avoid limiting myself. Sure, my blog might not have a specific aim, but I think that this is what will make my blog so relatable. At 23 years old, quickly approaching 24, it would be unrealistic to say that everything in my life is set and that I know 100% who I am.

The beauty of social media is that it serves as an outlet for discovery of the self, as well as of the world around us. I have always been fascinated by reading other people’s blogs because they serve as a raw look into someone’s mind. Perhaps some people’s blogs are a more rigid and focused, while other’s are a little bit more casual. Whatever the case may be, I think that blogging is truly a craft that I am embarking on and I look forward to getting connected with the rest of you out there.

Some future projects that I hope to develop in the near future include expanding my photography portfolio and featuring guest blogs from friends and fellow bloggers.

Fresh out of teacher’s college, I find myself at a very vulnerable stage in life. The world is at my fingertips (or so they say) and I have many options to toy with. I have always intended on creating a blog but have put it off in the past because I have either been too busy or not convinced that people will want to read what I have to say! Evidently, that did not stop me this evening and I have given in. Here is my attempt to join the blogging community and expand my presence in the world of social media. I am immersed in the world of Twitter and felt that it was the perfect gateway to starting my own blog. Say what you will, but writing is a therapeutic outlet and if I can share my opinions with those willing to read, why not? My blog is going to consist of a mixed bag of entries that I find pertinent and pressing to share about at the time. I hope you join me on my blogging adventure and offer your mixed bag of opinions, as well!